AMHERST - Two years in and Cumberland County’s multicultural association is working to raise its community profile.
The association hosted its second annual potluck dinner on Saturday at the Cumberland YMCA and used the opportunity to celebrate the community’s diversity while pledging to do more to increase communication among its membership.
“We’ve had a couple of good years as an organization but we still have a long way to go,” president James Austin said. “We’ve taken some steps to let people know who we are and what we’re doing. There are few things we are doing well, but a few others in which we need to improve – the biggest of which is communicating better with our members and the community.”
The association was created in 2016 to meet people from other countries who settle in Cumberland County and to make them feel welcome. It’s also mandated to showcase the cultural heritage of those people who come to the county.
Events such as Saturday’s pot luck help accomplish that goal, Austin said, along with the association’s participation in last November’s Amherst Christmas parade. He’s pleased that people are receptive to a multicultural association and hopes the organization continues to grow.
He said the need to create a welcoming community is key as Nova Scotia works to attract new immigrants.
“I’m very pleased to be part of an organization that’s working to connect new Canadians with the communities they live in,” he said.
He said there have been some pitfalls and roadblocks, but the organization is making progress and he sees it growing moving forward. He wants people to appreciation the association is in the community to celebrate diversity and to assist those newcomers who need help.
“I’d like to be able to announce next year that this is how many people we helped and this is how we helped them,” Austin said.
Brent Noiles, the Y-REACH immigration and settlement staff member at the Cumberland YMCA, said the association has made significant gains. He said events like the dinner bring people together.
“Events such as this allow people to come together and make new friendships,” he said. “It’s something the association wanted to celebrate that again this year.”
The association’s major project right now is a welcome basket that will be presented to people moving to Cumberland County from outside Canada. The group is working to attract donations from Cumberland County businesses, community groups, service clubs and individuals with drop-off locations at the YMCA, Maggie’s Place, NSCC Cumberland, Oxford town hall, the Parrsboro service centre and the village hall in Pugwash.
Donations could be a product, coupon, gift certificate or information such as a pamphlet or a brochure.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
